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PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY Children’s Bookshelf
Article February 1, 2007
Out of Print No More
Over the last quarter century, Hans Wilhelm has written and illustrated more than 200 books for children and adults, including I'll Always Love You and the tales starring Tyrone the tyrannosaurus. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages and have reached an in-print tally of more than 35 million copies. Now Wilhelm has made nearly 100 of his out-of-print picture books available for fans to download free on his Web site, www.childrensbooksforever.com . Among the titles included on the site are a number that have previously been available only in Europe and Asia.
"It is entirely logical," says the author of his decision to establish the Web site. "Books seem to go out of print faster and faster these days, often for reasons beyond our control and not always because they aren't selling well, and it is a pity that many powerful books are no longer available. I thought there is no reason why my out-of-print books should collect dust on a shelf when I could keep them alive. So I'm taking them out of retirement so that they can continue to give joy and pleasure to millions around the world."
Also inspiring the creation of his Web site is the steady stream of e-mails Wilhelm has received over the years from teachers and librarians asking for old favorites, including Tyrone the Horrible and Bunny Trouble, both now available on the site. "Not a week goes by when I don't receive requests for these books," he says. "Now I never have to tell them that the books are unavailable. In a sense, none of my books will ever be out of print any more. And I think this will enhance sales of my books in the traditional market. It is a time-consuming effort but it certainly is worth it to keep these books alive."
Also logical, Wilhelm observes, is the fact that this project brings books to young readers where they are apt to be: at their computers. "There is a whole new generation out there that is more familiar with the click of the mouse than with the turning of a page," he says. In the short time that the Web site has been up, the author has received what he calls "amazing feedback" from teachers, who are thrilled to have access to out-of-print titles.
"I feel that my books do not just come from me," notes Wilhelm, who has six or seven new books scheduled to be published this year (not just in the U.S.). "They are a communal effort of editors, art directors and sales people, so keeping these books alive on the Internet honors these individuals as well. I am not doing this just for myself, but for everyone who has helped me, and that includes the teachers, librarians, parents and children who have shared and enjoyed my books for so many years. This is my personal thank you to them. I truly believe that if you really give, it will always come back."
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